Sam Records was a classic disco label founded on Long Island City, New York in 1976 by Sam Weiss. Sam had a really strong seven year run until its demise at the end of 1983. In the late 70's The label scored early hits with The John Davis Monster Orchestra and Gary's Gang and for a time between 1978 and 1980 was distributed by Columbia records.

After the Columbia deal ended Sam returned as an independent label in 1980 with a bold new look for their 12 inch singles and a fresh sound. The crossover Italo sounding "Don't Stop" by German group K.I.D. was released in 1981. "Don't Stop" had a pumping bassline, sequenced synth's and a wicked vocoder line.

Later in 1981 Vicky "D" put out the massive cut "This Beat is Mine". In my opinion, this track is a sort of disco precursor to electro hits by Shannon and Debbie Deb. Vicky's raw, soaring vocals and the unfadeablesynth hook are pure gold.

Husband and wife team Mike and Brenda Sutton put out several 12 inches on Sam culminating with the disco boogie burner "Don't Let Go of Me" in 1982. The dubbed out/pitch shifted vocals send this track into deep space.

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Ya, Magnum, but don't you cry for Sam, because it had the most successful afterlife of any of the Big 5 disco indies(including Salsoul, Prelude, West End and Vanguard)

V. kinda resorted to its huge classical and folk catalog; West End and Salasoul rebounded modestly in the late '90's/early 00's. But Sam Weiss's Danny had HUGE success with Nervous Records, which propelled progressive house with no less panache than his daddy's label did with disco; young Weiss even made a sublabel of the old disco releases with "Disco Dolly!"

If I had to pick from a desert island - sure, I would pick Prelude/West End/Salsoul, in descending order. That said, Sam probably had a better batting average than any except West End. These two are the only NY disco labels who I feel never released a bad record. Some were much better than others, but every one was interesting.